The Applicant's already known AutoStore system is a storage system of the type mentioned in the introduction. The AutoStore system comprising a three dimensional storage grid containing storage bins that are stacked on top of each other to a certain height. The storage grid is constructed as aluminium columns interconnected by top rails. A number of vehicles, or robots, are arranged on the top rails. Each vehicle is equipped with a lift for picking up, carrying, and placing bins that are stored in the storage grid.
Such a storage system of the background art has been illustrated in FIG. 1. The storage system 10 comprises a grid structure 20 of storage cells. Each cell is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of storage bins 30. The grid structure has a top level.
The storage system 10 further comprises one or more vehicle 40, which is arranged to move at the top level of the grid structure and also arranged to receive a bin from a storage cell at the top level of the grid structure.
The storage system 10 further comprises a bin lift device 50. The bin lift device 50 is arranged to receive a bin from a vehicle 40 at the top level of the first grid structure and to convey the bin down in a vertical direction to a delivery station, or port, 60. The storage system 10 may include a plurality of such lift devices 50 and ports 60, as illustrated. Today's households rely on the availability of foodstuffs that can be purchased in a refrigerated or frozen state. Between the time the food is processed and the time it reaches the marketplace, the processed food may be held in a distributor's warehouse under strictly controlled temperatures. In order to minimize the time between storage and delivery, it is a need for efficient logistic systems which can access and deliver the correct food in a minimum of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,165,513 describes a cold storage locker room, where the stored goods are manually retrieved.
US 2012272500 describes a storage for storing sample containers in stacks in a low temperature sample store. The low temperature sample store is equipped with a robot suspended above the storage stack for removing and inserting stacks into the storage.
These cooled storages, however, do not have the possibility of easily retrieving the correct container, and the time between storage and delivery would not be acceptable.